Component of Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 11-008-X Canadian Social Trends Article Retail and customer service in French by Martin Turcotte January 26, 2010 Retail and customer service in French by Martin Turcotte or most francophones (people are able to use their language on Moncton, francophones are a whose first language learned a daily basis in “routine” retail and minority. It may be a challenge for F is French), being greeted and service transactions. A number of them to receive service in French served in their language when they occupations have been omitted as at local businesses. In the Montréal shop, eat out or go to the hairstylist most people have only occasional CMA, francophones are in a majority is not a concern. In fact, a majority contact with workers in those and account for about two-thirds live in areas where most residents are occupations, for example with real of the population. However, this also francophones.1 It’s a different estate agents, physicians and police proportion varies widely within story, however, for those who live in officers. the CMA – francophones while regions where their mother tongue is In addition to looking at how representing 80% of the population a minority language. This may also be prevalent knowledge of French in the northern and southern-most true for francophones who reside in is among workers in sales and sections of the CMA, are slightly in areas such as Montréal where French, service occupations, the article the minority on the Island of Montréal though the majority language, is a also examines the proportion of (49.8 % in 20063) and are a minority minority in some places. workers who use the language while in all municipalities on the West To what extent are francophones performing their duties. Island. For example, francophones able to get service in French when The first section of the article make up 20% of the population in they visit businesses in their presents data for Canada, the the municipalities of Dollard-des- community? This article provides provinces and territories. It contains Ormeaux and Côte-Saint-Luc.4 As some answers to that question, information on the knowledge and a result of this linguistic dynamic, focusing on the prevalence of the use of French among sales and understanding how French is used knowledge of French among sales service workers. in the marketplace in Montreal is and service workers who interact The second part of the article important. directly and routinely with consumers focuses on sales and service workers In short, in these four metropolitan in the course of their work (For more in four census metropolitan areas areas, contact between francophones information about the occupations (CMA): Ottawa-Gatineau (with a and other linguistic groups is likely included in the study, see “What you distinction between the Quebec and regular notably during commercial should know about this study”). Ontario sides), Moncton, Greater transactions. From census data, Previous studies have examined Sudbury and Montréal. These CMAs it is possible to determine what the availability of health care or have been chosen because of their proportion of workers can, with their government service in French.2 specific demolinguistic context and knowledge of French, offer services However, very little research has been because the number of workers in this language (according to their done on the knowledge and use of that understand and are able to use place of work). In the final part of French among workers in retail and French is high enough to allow for the article, those sales and service consumer service outlets. This study comparisons over time. workers most or least likely to be attempts to determine the extent In the Ontario part of Ottawa- proficient in French are examined. to which francophone consumers Gatineau, Greater Sudbury and 14 Canadian Social Trends Statistics Canada — Catalogue no. 11-008 What you should know about this study The data used are from the 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2006 long French as one of their mother tongues (in which case they census questionnaires (completed by 20% of the Canadian are deemed to be francophones). households). Only persons in the employed labour force are Anglophones: In this study, anglophones are persons who included in the study, that is, people who had a job in the reported that English was the first language they learned in week preceding the census. In addition, respondents had to childhood (their mother tongue). Respondents who reported have a usual place of work or to be working at home (in other that they had learned English and French simultaneously words, people with no fixed work location are excluded). The are considered francophones for the purposes of this study. statistics concerning knowledge and use of French among French-speaking population: Some sections of the article sales and service workers are based on location of work and refer to data from the Survey on the Vitality of Official- not on place of residence. For example, references to the Language Minorities. Those data relate to the French-speaking proportion of central Montréal’s workers who were able to population outside Quebec, that is, people who: (a) have carry on a conversation in French relate to persons working French as their mother tongue, either alone or with another in a business outlet located in the central area. language; (b) have a non-official language as their mother tongue (we refer to them as allophones) and speak French Definitions but not English; (c) have a non-official language as their Knowledge of French: In the census, each household mother tongue, know both English and French and speak member is asked whether he or she can speak “English or either a non-official language or French, alone or with another French well enough to conduct a conversation”. People who language, most often at home. stated that they spoke “French only” or “English and French” are deemed to have knowledge of French. It should be noted Sales and service occupations that the ability to carry on a conversation is self-assessed The National Occupational Classification-Statistics (NOC-S) by respondents and that the ability to speak French does is based on the National Occupational Classification (NOC), not necessarily mean that service in French will be offered which was developed, and is maintained, by Human Resources automatically. Moreover, proficiency can vary substantially and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC). It provides a from person to person. systematic classification structure to identify and categorize Use of French at work: The census contains the following the entire range of occupational activity in Canada. It has questions: “In this job, what language did this person use 10 broad occupational categories. most often?” and “Did this person use any other languages This study focuses on broad category G, sales and service on a regular basis in this job?” Respondents who answered occupations. The official titles of the occupations included French to either of these questions were deemed to be using in this analysis are as follows: retail salespersons and sales French at work. More detailed data on the use of French “on clerks; cashiers; maîtres d’hôtel and hosts / hostesses; a regular basis” or “most often” are provided in the tables. bartenders; food and beverage servers; travel counsellors; Francophones: In this study, francophones are persons airline sales and service agents; ticket agents, cargo service who reported that French was the first language they learned representatives and related clerks (except airline); hotel in childhood (their mother tongue). Some respondents front desk clerks; tour and travel guides; outdoor sport and reported that they had learned more than one language at recreational guides; casino occupations; operators and the same time. They are considered francophones if one of attendants in amusement, recreation and sport; hairstylists the languages was French. and barbers; estheticians, electrologists and related Allophones: Allophones are people who stated that the first occupations; service station attendants; and grocery clerks language they learned in childhood was neither English nor and store shelf stockers. Some occupations were combined French. Respondents who reported a non-official language with related occupations in Table 4. along with French are considered francophones. Similarly, About 50% of the occupations in the sales and service people who reported a non-official language along with English category were not included in this study. Some do not are considered anglophones, unless they also mentioned necessarily involve direct contact with consumers and Statistics Canada — Catalogue no. 11-008 Canadian Social Trends 15 What you should know about this study (continued) therefore have no bearing on consumers’ ability to obtain A CMA must have a total population of at least 100,000, of service in French (for example, retail trade supervisors, chefs which 50,000 or more must live in the urban core. A CA must and cooks, retail and wholesale buyers, security guards). have an urban core population of at least 10,000. In 2006, Other occupations involve contact with “citizens” rather there were 33 CMAs and 110 CAs. than consumers (for example, police officers). In addition, For the data to be comparable over time, the 2006 CMA some occupations are associated with the sale of specialized boundaries were applied to the data from the 2001 and 1996 products and service purchased by members of the public censuses. and by businesses and organizations (for example, insurance Montréal CMA, Island of Montréal, city of Montréal agents and brokers). Since this study is about workers and Montréal’s city centre who routinely come into contact with the public, those Montréal’s CMA includes the city of Montréal as well as occupations were also excluded. In some occupations, workers a hundred more municipalities surrounding it.